12 podcasts that will send chills down your spine

If you spent the weekend bingeing Stranger Things and are in search of more ways to freak yourself out, you’re in luck. We’ve rounded up a list of podcasts suitable for the scaredy cats and the murderinos, from spooky-fun stories and playful old-school radio dramas to tales of chilling cold cases and supernatural experiences that are downright frightening. So hide under a blanket, pop in those earbuds, and check out these other nail-biters.

Hosts Georgia Hardstark and Karen Kilgarif pick a different murder to dissect and debate each week in their wildly popular true-crime comedy podcast. Yes, a true-crime comedy podcast. The two have an uncanny ability to balance the morbid and the mirthful, blending their playful tone with an underlying message of empowerment that has resulted in a rabid fan base who call themselves “murderinos.”

With each episode centered around a theme, host Aaron Mankhe explores the world of folklore and the haunting side of history. With his dulcet voice accompanied by the somber notes a piano plays in the background, Mankhe’s knack of telling a spine-tingling tale will have you sleeping with the lights on.

Billed as “stories of people who’ve done wrong, been wronged, or gotten caught somewhere in the middle,” these twice-monthly episodes may abstain from tabloid fodder, but they never lack for drama and tension.

The newest series from Radiotopia’s Showcase podcast, this deep dive into the urban legend of a fictitious ’80s arcade game linked to mysterious illnesses and a secret government experiment will have you reaching for your tinfoil hat.

Born from the subreddit of the same name, this horror anthology series has a mix of subgenres to guarantee there’s something for everyone. Scored with a beautiful soundtrack, each episode is told from a first-person experience about events that went wrong or never should’ve happened in the first place. Killer spiders, anyone?